From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has fixed October 13, this year, for judgement in a case between Odighonin Nwadighi
Adienbo (for herself) and on behalf of the Wailing Women of the Niger Delta and The Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative and nine others versus Attorney General of the Federation and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The matter, which came up yesterday (Wednesday), for hearing was filed by the applicants, seeking for an order of Mandamus compelling the Federal Government to comply with the NDDC Act.
The order sought for was for court to dssolve the Interim/Sole Administratorship Board and restrain the Federal Government from further constituting same in the running of the NDDC in line with the NDDC Act.
Also, the applicants prayed for an order sought for order compelling the Federal Government to publish the Forensic Audit report on the NDDC
The applicants further sought order of the Court compelling the Federal Government not to place the NDDC under any Ministry.
Counsels representing the applicants were Prof. O.F Emiri, Emenike Eke and G.C Onuoha (Miss). Similarly, Counsels for the first respondent: Attorney General of the Federation
(Federal Ministry of Justice), Maimuna Lami Shiru (Mrs) and Elodimuo Ekene.
Counsels for the second respondent (NDDC) Kalu Emeh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and S. Brisibe.
The matter came up today for hearing before Justice Isah Dashen.
Counsel for the NDDC, Brisibe applied to the court to withdraw a motion challenging the earlier orders of the court.
The court granted the motion for withdrawal and struck it out. The said Motion on Notice was dated April 18, and filed onMay 4, 2022.
The lawyer to NDDC told the court that the application was no longer necessary as it has been overtaken by events.
The motion, which was withdrawn by the NDDC was that which sought the court to reverse its earlier orders.
The second respondent wants the court to direct that the NDDC should not be placed under any Ministry,
Also, the commission wants the order of perpetual injunction restraining the Federal Government from further constituting an Interim/Sole Administratorship Board to run the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The said directives were contained in an order of the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa granted on February 4, 2022, by the presiding judge, Justice Isah H. Dashen.
The lawyer to the applicants also sought a withdrawal of the reply to the motion on pont of law haven been withdrawn by the NDDC.
Upon the application by the counsel for the applicants, the court subsequently struck out the said reply based on the earlier withdrawal of the application by the NDDC.
The court adopted all the processes and adjourned to October 13, 2022, for judgement.